You’re planning to build a new home in the Poconos. You’ve selected your lot. You’ve decided on a floor plan that you really like. You’ve chosen a builder you trust to do a great job for you. You’re good to go . . . right? 

You may want to back the bulldozers and the frontend loaders up a bit. Just because you have the lot secured doesn’t necessarily mean you’re ready to dig the foundation. You may want to do some thinking about how to position your house on that lot. Here are some things to consider before your contractor starts digging. 

Direction of Light

Do you want your home to have a North/South orientation or and East West orientation. It can make a big difference in the way natural light enters your home (and that can even affect the color of paint on your walls). If you plan to have a nice deck or patio, you may not want the sun in your eyes in the evening. 

Snow Melt

It does tend to snow a bit in the Poconos. That’s important when it comes to positioning your house as well. If your driveway and front entrance face north you can have some real challenges when it comes to snow and ice in the winter (and in those in-between months when there is thawing and re-freezing. 

Garage Placement

Speaking of the driveway, where do you want the garage—and how are you going to get to it? Will you need to do extra grading to accommodate the driveway? 

Getting the Right Views

Many homeowners choose their lot because they want great views. Do you want the views out of your front windows or from your bedroom windows? Maybe you want to be able to sit on the deck and enjoy the views. Will you need to take out any trees to ensure you have the view you want? 

Compensating for Hills

Rolling hills can be beautiful, but if you’re building on a hilly lot, you need to figure out how to situate your home. If you’re too close to a steep hill, you can lose light in the home. You may also have to work about drainage issues when there is runoff from rain or melting snow. 

Landscaping

The area around your home has a huge impact on how your how looks from the outside—and how you use it. It’s not always a simple matter of planting a shrubs and putting in some flowerbeds. Do you want a patio in the backyard? What about walkways?  And if you do want to plant some shrubs, which ones will grow best—and what will they look like in five or 10 years. Here’s a helpful post about landscaping your Poconos home.